Results 1-20 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy very much for raising the issue. I welcome the community from Knocklong. I have a small connection. My grandfather was in the rescue party for Seán Hogan at Knocklong when he was rescued during the ambush there. They took him away and he was a sentry in the Galtee Mountains for a while.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: Well, the Deputy mentioned Knocklong and I was reared on the stories about it in my family. Deputy O'Donoghue raised a more serious point about wheelchair users. I was at an event recently with the Department of Social Protection in terms of supporting the employment front. The Deputy makes a fair point. In schools and some other areas of life, we do support adaptation.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: There is Local Link as well whereby we give incentives and supports in terms of facilitation for wheelchair users. There is certainly more we can do now with the sports grants because to the credit of sports clubs, of all codes, they are now developing really good streams of participation in sport-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: -----for those with additional needs.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is very good that rugby union is doing it. The GAA and soccer are doing it now as well.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: An appeal was lodged yesterday at about 2.40 p.m. even though people have suggested that an appeal could have lodged a week ago, but for some reason, that did not happen. I am genuinely perplexed about how all of this has been handled - not by the Department, but just generally. Normally in situations like this, the lead association would approach the Government or a Department with a plan...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: It is horrific what is happening at the aid centres, where people have been mowed down, slaughtered and murdered. It is beyond any moral compass. I have condemned unreservedly the Israeli conduct in Gaza and the war in Gaza, particularly the last phase, which without question represents collective punishment of the people of Gaza and an attempt to drive them out of Gaza or make life so...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: I presume it must know because it is a contractual issue.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: There is an issue between the Department and the contractor, so I presume the board of management must be aware of this. The board would be in-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: It must know.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: In any event, I will ask the Minister for education to talk to the Deputy in respect of it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: That was the subject of a debate in the Seanad recently. The Government has an open mind on this. I will give consideration to it but there is a time lead into this and so forth.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: There is a broad range of factors. Ireland is late to the phenomenon described by the Deputy in many respects because we would have had the highest birth rate across Europe, and still do, is my understanding, or we have one of the highest. Nonetheless, the Deputy's point merits broader reflection in terms of the society we organise, how society is organised and supported, and challenges in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: Is it the two wind farms?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: Are all of them causing concern?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: I will say something at the outset in a broader sense. The Government does not develop wind farms. The Government does not develop solar farms. The prospect of doing that would involve a multibillion euro speculative kind of investment by the State, so they are privately led. The fundamental difference between us in terms of economic philosophy is that I believe there has to be a private...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. There is a lot of merit in what he is saying. The Government is endeavouring to develop greater flexibilities for people in rural Ireland in particular. I understand guidelines are under consideration in that respect to enable people to build their own homes. With the vacant grants and the grants to restore derelict houses, we have facilitated...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: AI is an enormous issue of enormous consequence for the future of Ireland and the future of the world in terms of economy and society. Its impact will be as significant as the industrial revolution of the 19th century. I spoke to the Minister of State, Niamh Smyth, on this after the committee meeting. Certainly, we will give consideration to this. I did attend the AI summit in Paris....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy. I do not have the details of the individual case. The model of general allocation is one that was favoured by school bodies and principals when it was originally introduced, giving more flexibility to schools to deal with the numbers of children they may have in respect of additional needs. I introduced the SNA system back in the late nineties when I was Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Jul 2025)

Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Crowe for raising this issue. The National Council for Special Education, I understand, has advised that Sixmilebridge national school has resubmitted a previous special needs assistant review request, which now includes additional new junior infants due to start in September 2025. The NCSE has confirmed that the SNA review will be completed and the outcome notified to the...